The suffrage pennant that has Louise Bernikow talking!

It’s big news when the major media highlights anything to do with woman’s suffrage. The “History Detectives” show on September 20 (8-9 ET, PBS) is worth watching for the affirmation and charge you’ll get.

The 20-minute “History Detectives” segment highlights a Votes for Women banner that Yvonne Crumlish’s father gave her 30 years ago. The investigation provides an overview of the movement and delves into the story of how Yvonne’s grandmother Addie Blemly might have acquired the pennant and whether or not she was personally involved in the NYS suffrage campaigns. It was puzzling to Yvonne because her grandmother never mentioned anything the pennant. “History Detectives” took on the challenge.

Why was the suffrage movement in New York so important? Louise sums this up in a clip of four minutes that highlights how the 1917 victory was a tipping point for suffrage across the nation. In fact, when NYS women joined the fold of voters nationwide, it doubled the number of women qualified to go to the polls. But the goal of voting for ALL American women still must have seemed a stretch back then.

Louise photoshopped this great image for her Facebook page devoted to the September 20th program. Watch for other audio clips from Louise between now and then on this blog. And check out Louise’s web site.

I love the outrageous, the juicy as well as the mundane when it comes to stories about the suffs. The audio is cool. Gives dimension to the post. Thanks for the tip about September 20th. I’ll be watching.

Did you know that there is a museum in DC completely devoted to the kind of audacious, picketing, parading, out-there suffragists Louise Bernakow talks about? Where you can see photos of women lobbying, picketing, and being jailed for demonstrating; political cartoons drawn by a suffragist in support of the cause; and the actual picket banners, pennants, and costumes used during protests? The Sewall-Belmont House Museum was the final headquarters of the militant National Woman’s Party who battled for a federal amendment granting women the right to vote. It’s a small, intimate museum with a great, big story to tell, and a wonderful collection of suffrage and women’s rights material. Check it out! http://www.sewallbelmont.org/